Portable conveyer, including adjustable support



April 20, 1954 G. B. STONE 2,575,905

' PORTABLE CONVEYER, INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Guthrie 3. Stone mmvrox.

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April 20, 1954 G. B. STONE PORTABLE CONVEYER, INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan, 25, 1953 Guthrie 3. Stone INVENTOR.

. Q BY Patented Apr. 20, 1954 romantic qoN'vEYER, KCLUDTNG ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Guthrie-B.- Stone, Springwater, N. Y. Application safiiiaryz's, 195-3, 'SerialNo."332;805

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in portable conveyors and the'pri mary object of the present invention'is to prof videaconveyor including an adjustable wheel support that will retain the conveyor ma predetermined vertically inclined position for the elevating of material from one point toanother.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a portable-conveyor including a trough having novel and improved means secured thereto for guiding an endless conveyor beltwhile preventing sagging of the lower flight of the belt which will extend under the bottom Wall oi -the troughl A further object of the present invention'is to provide -'a portable elevator conveyorincluding a vertically swirl-gable support structure and novel and improved means carried by the sup port'structure and engaging side portions of the conveyor trough for guidin the support-during its pivotal movement. g g

A- still further aim of the present invention is to provide-a portable conveyorthat is'ex'tremely simple and practical in construction, "strong'and reliable in use, efficient anddurable'in-operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and;otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which -the'same is intended.-

These together with other objeots'and 'a'dvam tages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,- reference being 'hadfto the accompany ing drawingsformin'g a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 7

"Figure 1 is a side elevational view of thepr'es ent invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substanti-al1y on the plane of section line'2-'2 of Figure 1; g

Figure'3 is-a'top plan view of Figure 1:

"Figure 4 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view taken substantially on the plane of section mien-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal sectional 'view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 4. I

Referring'now'tothe drawingsin detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is dis closed a preferred embodiment of the present in:

ventionfthe numeral l0 represents an elongated channel shaped trough having spaced side walls l2 and! 4 connected byabo'ttom wall 16. The walls "and 14 are provided with upwardly'aud :1 Claims. c (01. 1-98-12 1) outwardly projecting extensions 18 and 20 having depending flanges 22 and 24 at theirouter portions-as shown in Figure'2=-of1thedraw ngs,-

A plurality of 'lori'g'itudinally spaced rigid LI -shaped reinforcin and'strengthening them-'- bersioare provided for structurally rigidi'fy'ing' the trough IO. The members 26 are "channel shaped in cross 'sect-ion and have spaced mater; and 30 that are flxed'by'welding or the liketo the outerfacing of the sidewalls 1-2 and 1-4. The

web portions 32 ofi'the members-"2G are spaced parallel to and beneath thebottom wall l5 and fixedly support guide rods 34 that extend'longi tudinally of the trough Iii fora purposepr'esently to be described. l v V A'substantially U-shaped support 36 is'fixedby suitable means to several of the-member's 26 lo cated at the centra l portion of the' trough 10.

The forward leg portions 38' and "411 of a pair-of V-shaped wheel supports 42 and 44 are-pivotally secured to support 36 by pivot means 46 "which may comprise coaxial pins or a single shaft. The rear leg portions 4 8 and 50 of the supports 42 and 41-4 fixedly support bearings Hand 54 for conical rollers 56 and 58. The conical surfaces ofthe rollers 58 and 58 engage {the extensions l8 and 20, and the major end walls of'therollers 56 and 58' engage the'inner faces of the flanges 22 and- '24, as shown in Figure 2, to guide the sup ports 42 and 44 as they are moved about 'thepivot means 46.

The supports 42 and '44 are connectedtogether by a horizontalrod 6i) terminally fixed to the lee portions 48' and 5B. ":A Ll shape'd bearing "62 is fixed to the rod'fill and'rotatablysupports' a; rank shaft 64 which includes" a part that parallels the rod 60. Pulleys '66 are movably attached to the side walls of the support by "S 'slriape'd links 10 and receive a cable '12 having a hook 14 attached to one-of its 'ends that is'en'gage'd over rod -60. 'The other end or cable T2 is fixed to shaft '64- to be wound thereon for moving the rear leg portions 48 and toward the Sup port 36. A ratchet 16 is fixed to the shaft 64 for engagement with a pawl 18 pivoted to le portion 50 for locking the shaft '64 in a selected rotated position. 7 g

The apices' of the support members and are connected by a horizontal tubular bar whose ends 'rotatably support preferably pn'eumaticground wheels 82 and 84.

Bearings -'86 at the "top end of trough III rotatably supportthe shaft of a drive roller'BB. Roller 88 extends transversely of trough 'l'fl and fixedly su ports a sprocket econ of its ends.

3 An electric motor 92 mounted on support 36 is connected by a belt drive 93 to a jack shaft 9I journaled on support 36. The shaft 9| carries a sprocket that is connected to sprocket 90 by a sprocket chain 96 in a casing 94.

The lower end of trough I slidably supports collars 98 on the ends of a lower idler roller support shaft IOI. Threaded rods I02 fixed to the collars 98 extend through apertures in one of the members 26 and receive lock nuts I04 whereby the roller I00 on shaft IilI may be adjusted longitudinally of trough l0.

An endless conveyor belt I06 extends over the rollers 88 and I00. The upper flight of the belt I06 rests upon the bottom wall I6 of the trough I0 and the lower flight of the belt I06 extends under the bottom wall IE. A plurality of spaced parallel transverse cleats I08 are fixed to the belt I06 by suitable means and the cleats on the lower flight of the belt I06 will ride upon the rods 34 (Figure 2) to prevent the lower flight of the belt I06 from sagging and becoming stretched.

Retractable hand grips 0 are fixed to the extensions I8 and at the forward or rear ends of the trough and provide means whereby the device may be wheeled, carried or manipulated in any convenient manner.

In practical use of the present invention, the portable conveyor is moved to a desired location upon the wheels 82, 84 by a user or users grasping the hand grips IIO. After the conveyor has been moved to its desired location for use, the ratchet is disengaged from the pawl 18 and the crank shaft 64 is rotated to selectively raise or lower the top end of the trough I0 about the pivot means46 for the supports 42 and 44. After the trough I0 has been moved to its desired vertically inclined positions, the pawl I8 is then again engaged with ratchet I6 to lock the trough I0 in this position.

Motor 92 is preferably of the electric type and includes a cord 93 and a control switch 95. The cord 93 is inserted into a suitable house outlet and the switch 95 is actuated to complete the circuit to the motor 92 which will drive the roller 88 and cause the endless conveyor belt I06 to move longitudinally of the trough I0.

The cleats I08 disposed on the lower flight of the belt or disposed on the portion of the belt that is extended under the bottom wall I6 will ride upon the guide rods 34 in order to retain the lower flight of the belt relatively close to the bottom wall I6 and thereby prevent sagging of the lower flight of the belt. In order to tighten the endless conveyor belt I06, the nuts I04 are adjusted upon the rods I02 to selectively move the roller I 00 forwardly or rearwardly.

It should be noted that the wheel assembly 42, 44 is quickly and readily attached to or removed from the conveyor frame in a convenient manner since the wheel assembly 42, 44 is secured to the conveyor frame by merely two bolts 46. Also the pulleys 66 are easily disconnected from support 36.

The retractable handles I I0 on each end of the conveyor frame may be extended, after the wheel assembly is removed, whereby the device may be carried by two men to a desired location for use.

As the cleats I08 ride upon tubular supports 34, there is a minimum of resistance to the movement of the belts I06, thereby prolonging the cleats and permitting smooth movement of the belt.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable conveyor comprising an .elongated channel shaped trough having side walls provided with upwardly and outwardly projecting extensions, said extensions including upper portions having depending flanges, a pair of side by side V-shaped wheel supports having forward and rear leg portions, means pivotally securing the forward leg portions of said supports to said trough intermediate the ends of the trough, conical rollers carried by the rear leg portions of said supports underlying said extensions and having conical surfaces contacting said extensions and major end walls contacting said flanges, means connecting said rear leg portions to said trough for adjusting the supports about the pivot means for the forward leg portions, and a power driven endless conveyor belt carried by the trough.

2. A portable conveyor comprising an elongated channel shaped trough having side walls provided with upwardly and outwardly projecting extensions, said extensions including upper portions having depending flanges, a pair of side by side V-shaped wheel supports having forward and rear leg portions, means pivotally securing the forward leg portions of said supports to said trough intermediate the ends of the trough, conical rollers carried by the rear leg portions of said supports underlying said extensions and having conical surfaces contacting said extensions and major end walls contacting said flanges, means connecting said rear leg portions to said trough for adjusting the supports about the pivot means for the forward leg portions, a transverse roller at each end of the trough, an endless belt extending over the rollers and having an upper flight overlying the bottom wall of -the trough and a lower flight underlying the bottom wall of the trough, and power means operatively connected to one of said rollers for rotating the latter to move the belt.

3. A portable conveyor comprising an elongated channel shaped trough having side walls provided with upwardly and outwardly project.- ing extensions, said extensions including upper portions having depending flanges, a pair of side by side V-shaped wheel supports having forward and rear leg portions, means pivotally securing the forward leg portions of said supports to said trough intermediate the ends of the trough, conical rollers carried by the rear leg portions of said supports underlying said extensions and having conical surfaces contacting said extensions and major end walls contacting said flanges, means connecting said rear leg portions to said trough for adjusting the supports about the pivot means for the forward leg portions, a transverse roller at each end of the trough, an endless belt extending over the rollers and having an upper flight overlying the bottom wall of the trough and a lower flight underlying the bottom wall of the trough, and power means operatively con-' nected to one of said rollers for rotating the latter to move the belt, a plurality of spaced parallel transverse cleats secured to said belt, a pair of spaced parallel guide rods supported under and parallel to the bottom end of the trough and extending longitudinally of the trough to slidably support the cleats of the lower flight of the belt and thereby prevent said lower flight from sagging below the trough.

4. The combination of claim 3 and a plurality of U-shaped reinforcing and strengthening members having spaced leg portions fixed to said side walls and connecting webs under the bottom wall of the trough and fixed to said guide rods.

-5. In a portable conveyor comprising an elongated channel shaped conveyor-belt receiving trough having side walls provided with up wardly and outwardly projecting extensions, said extensions including upper portions having depending flanges, a pair of interconnected V- shaped wheel supports having forward and rear leg portions, support means carried by the trough pivotally supporting the forward leg portions, conical rollers carried by the rear leg portions having conical surfaces riding against said extensions and major end walls riding against said flanges, and means connecting said rear leg portions to said support means for adjusting the support about the pivot means for said forward leg portions.

6. In a portable conveyor comprising an elongated channel shaped conveyor-belt receiving trough having side walls provided with upwardly and outwardly projecting extensions, said extensions including upper portions haying depending flanges, a, pair of interconnected V- shaped wheel supports having forward and rear leg portions, support means carried by the trough pivotally supporting the forward leg portions, conical rollers carried by the rear leg portions having conical surfaces riding against said extensions and major end walls riding against said flanges, a pair of spaced pulleys carried by said support means, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on said supports, a cable trained over the pulleys and having one end fixed to one of said supports and its other end fixed to the shaft whereby winding of the cable on the shaft will move the rear leg portions of the supports toward the support means, a ratchet fixed to the shaft and a frame pivoted to said one of said supports engageable with the ratchet to lock the shaft in a selected rotated position.

'7. The combination of claim 5 and retractable hand grips at the ends of said side walls whereby the trough may be carried when the wheel supports are removed from the trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,653,226 Olson Dec. 20, 1927 1,873,456 Morrow Aug. 23, 1932 2,425,860 Brady Aug. 19, 1947 2,646,157 Belt July 21, 1953 

